


Homewrecker

by maisy_daisy



Category: Cut & Run - Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
Genre: M/M, Preston baby I love u, also Liam does karaoke and to the complete surprise of absolutely no one he really sucks, in which canon can suck my dick and catch the next train to go fuck yourself-ville, post crash and burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:40:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24851710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maisy_daisy/pseuds/maisy_daisy
Summary: Liam sings Karaoke. An old man boos him. As usual, Liam wants to blow everyone up. Like Preston did months before.
Relationships: Liam Bell/Preston
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	Homewrecker

**Author's Note:**

> written to the backing soundtrack of marina and the diamond's 'homewrecker' and for the always lovely vivi (@ myanchorandyourcompass on Tumblr/ @ lumieerie on ao3)

People think Liam lost his mind after Preston died.

What they fail to understand is that Liam never had a mind to begin with. Not a sane one. After all, how could anyone expect an ex-CIA operative and NIA informer to keep his marbles in the same bag?

Homewrecker. Liam snorts at the thought. As if he had a home to wreck. That burned down the day Preston left Liam for good.

Love, it never happens like you think it really should.

You should grow old with the one you love. You should pass each day, hand in hand, raging against the world together.

Liam deceives. Preston destroys. Perfectly wonderful traits for two hitmen.

But you can’t very well do your job after you’re blown to smithereens.

“ _You’ll find me in the lonely hearts_ ,” Liam croons into the microphone. Karaoke night at the Fire and Brimstone bar is always a special occasion for pulling out the old rusty pipes. _“Under 'I'm after a brand new start’.”_

Ever since Preston died, Liam seems to barely be hanging on. Too many threads to let go, but not enough to tether him.  
  
I don’t need a tether, he stubbornly tells himself. I don’t belong to anyone.

Oh, no, but he used to. His heart, locked and loaded, once resided in the same sanctuary that is now dead and gone. He misses belonging, he thinks. But he doesn’t quite remember how it was like.

 _God_ , he’s so fucking drunk.

“I’m only happy when I’m on the run,” Liam more drawls than sings into the microphone. An old man in the seated section boos at him. He momentarily pictures shooting Grandpa Downer and for a brief second the therapeutic image placates him.

_“When everything is life and death—“_

Liam remembers the first time Preston kissed him, minutes after they had escaped the melee in the Marriot Hotel. They had been covered in blood, scraps of someone’s tie or suit jacket tangled in their hair. The taste of Preston’s tongue on his, lips moving in unrestrained desire, was even more addicting than the tang of blood in Liam’s mouth.

He’d kill to relive that night again, but that’s not saying much. He’d kill for just about anything at the moment, including shooting that old miser still booing him meters away.

_“You may feel like there’s nothing left—“_

Days without Preston can sink into each other, sun rays and moon shade all blending into one dismal sight. That’s even if Liam finds the energy to open his eyes.

_“Instead of love and trust and laughter—“_

Preston had the most beautiful laugh. It was one of those rare ones but always genuine, never fake nor forced, unlike many of Liam’s.

_“What you get is happy never after—“_

An old woman in the crowd frowns at Liam on stage. Why are there so many old people? Liam thought he killed them all. Oh wait, maybe that was his daydream. But still.

He wraps up the song and its’ a miracle no one has thrown any moldy sandwich bread or stale fries at him. Liam’s humble enough to admit he doesn’t possess the most impressive vocal range, but the death glares some of the crowd are sending him are almost as imposing to rival his own.

“Well?” Liam mutters when he stumbles back to his seat at the bar next to the leather clad man. Maybe he should’ve skipped that last shot. “Scale of one-to-ten, how’d I do?”

“Negative four,” the man answers pleasantly. He downs the rest of his drink and turns to face Liam. Like the man, he’s had many drinks throughout the course of the night. Unlike Liam, however, he doesn’t show any sign of a buzz. “You seemed…preoccupied on stage.”

“Sorry.” Liam cracks a crooked smile at his partner. “I was daydreaming again.”

“Oh, pray tell? What this time?”

“Reminiscing of when you were dead.” Liam taps the empty glass on the counter, the third of which litter the space. He sighs fondly. “Until you stubbornly crawled back. I saved so much money on bar tabs, Pres.”

His partner in crime and heart huffs a laugh, as dark and as beautiful as church bells. “Well, you can shoot me after you pay. Don’t want to rip off the poor bartender, here.”

“Fine,” Liam says. “As long as I have an extra bullet for myself. I’m not letting you get so far away from me again, ya bastard.”

“Fair.” Preston leans over and kisses Liam on the cheek before standing. “Consider us equal. If I _ever_ have to suffer through another round of karaoke with you, I will not hesitate to end it all. For both of us.”

“Also fair.” Liam chugs his glass of water in a pathetic attempt to sober and joins Preston on the ground. He wobbles momentarily before righting himself with a grin. After he closes the tab,they make their way to the door but Liam pauses.

“One second,” he murmurs and turns to make eye contact with the old man who’d boo-ed him.

“Hey, you overbaked git!” He calls out. The elder and half the patrons gape at the inebriated Brit. “Boo me again and I’ll wreck _your_ —“

The last of the drunken threat ends in a muffled grunt when Preston slaps his hand over Liam’s mouth.

“Mhmughmhtfhm,” Liam growls. “ _Mhhmnf_.”

“Frightening,” Preston nods wisely and waves cheerily at the horrified old man. “Have a good night, sir!”

Preston shoves Liam out the bar door.

Karaoke Night has officially been cancelled.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! scream at me about these fools on tumblr at ravens-play-exy-too


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